INDG2002 Indigenous Australian Art

This topic introduces students to some of the many aspects of contemporary Aboriginal and Islander visual arts and crafts within their historical and social contexts. The effect of non-Indigenous stylistic, critical and other influences and the pressures of the market-place in the production of art-for-sale are also underlying themes that are covered in this topic.

The major areas of study covered include the pre-contact origins of contemporary Aboriginal visual art; regional diversity; appropriationand copyright; change and continuity; marketing; the impact of museums and exhibitions; and the effects of the market and tourism on contemporary Aboriginal art. Opportunities exist for students to use the Flinders University Art Museum as a research resource and there are also opportunities to attend exhibitions and meet practising Aboriginal artists.

This topic aims to:

• Introduce students to some of the many aspects of contemporary Aboriginal and Islander visual arts and crafts within their social contexts
• Equip students with a sound knowledge of the regional diversity of Australian Indigenous art
• Equip students with a firm basis for understanding of the pre-contact origins of contemporary Indigenous Australian art, where applicable
• Equip students to identify and to articulate stylistic differences between Indigenous Australian artworks on the basis of their specific regional location
• Equip students with an understanding of the ways in which processes of colonisation have further diversified Indigenous Australian art
• Enable students to write and speak clearly about the above

1. Demonstrate your understanding of the regional diversity of Australian Indigenous art
2. Demonstrate your understanding of the pre-contact origins of contemporary Indigenous Australian art, where applicable
3. Demonstrate your ability to situate a range of Indigenous artworks within the appropriate (ie correct) regional context
4. Demonstrate your ability to identify and to articulate stylistic differences between Indigenous Australian artworks on the basis of their specific regional location
5. Demonstrate your understanding of the ways in which processes of colonisation have further diversified Indigenous Australian art
6. Demonstrate your ability to articulate and write clearly about the above